


Ivory

by Emily_on_stage



Category: Holby City
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 18:38:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10519533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emily_on_stage/pseuds/Emily_on_stage
Summary: There is nowhere near enough screen time for sisterly love between Jac and Jasmine and I'm very bitter





	

"I didn't know you played,"  
Jac's fingers froze over the keys as a soft voice broke her trance. She didn't turn around, focussing her gaze upon the black and white regularity rather than having to deal with the blurred lines and colours of reality. Jasmine paused, the figure hunched over the piano in the basement would have been unrecognisable as Jac were it not for her trademark auburn hair. Vulnerability radiated from her in waves and Jasmine knew she would have to proceed with caution if she were to have any chance of breaking down her sister's walls. In this state, Jac was like a wild animal, one wrong move and she would pounce, either upon her supposed predator, or upon herself. Choosing her words correctly was vital here,  
"Everybody's looking for you upstairs,"   
A snort of disdain was her only response and Jasmine cringed at her tactlessness.  
"They are, everybody's really worrie-"  
"-you don't need to lie to me, I'm not a child."  
Living up to her status as an ice queen, Jac's cold voice cut through the air like a knife, striking the younger doctor not only with its bitterness but also with the hurt behind it. Jasmine swallowed,  
"What's the piece called?"  
Jac didn't respond but Jasmine saw her hand dart to her cheek and knew she was crying, snatching at the tears before they fell and betrayed her. She waited a few moments before sighing and turning to go back to the ward. As she heard footsteps leaving, Jac dared to look over her shoulder at Jasmine's retreating back, cursing herself for pushing her away; she didn't really want her to go, she just wanted to be sure that Jasmine really wanted to stay.   
"River flows in you," Jac whispered, turning back to the piano and returning her gaze to her ivory safety net. Jasmine stopped as she heard the quiet voice behind her. Tentatively, she turned around again and moved closer,  
"Yiruma," Jac added, absently toying with the keys as she fought to keep her voice steady.  
"Who taught you to play?" The words had scarcely left her mouth before Jasmine knew she'd said the wrong thing. Jac's spine straightened harshly and she rearranged her shaking hands on the piano.  
Jac began to play again but the sound was forced. The keys fell clumsily as her fingers moved without grace, falling heavily to form a melody which still flowed but held no beauty. The acoustics of the basement granted no reprieve to the cold sound, so different from the emotion and vulnerability which had oozed from the baby grand when Jasmine had first found her sister playing. The piece grew more frantic as Jac slammed her fingers onto the notes, faster and faster and faster until she hit a wrong note. She stopped momentarily, the rogue E# ringing out accusingly as she breathed heavily. Jasmine saw the tear hit the piano. It had barely been there half a second when Jac resumed playing. She sounded desperate, laying into the piano as though it were the source of all her pain, everyone who had ever wronged her lay along the black and white keys. Jac's hands flew across the piano, moving brutally now, crashing down so fiercely that Jasmine wasn't sure who would break first, Jac or the piano. Her answer came when she dared to place a hand on her sister's shoulder. The older woman threw it off, her movement leaving the piano ringing with ghost of her last chord. Jac froze, her foot still on the pedal but her arms wrapped around herself protectively, her eyes wide and frightened.  
"Jac?"  
It was as though her name were some kind of security code as Jac's walls, and her legs, crumbled. Jasmine saw what was going to happen before it did and caught her sister as she crumpled. Jac sobbed into her sister's shoulder, her whole frame racked with sobs as she let Jasmine cradle her the way no family member had done since she was twelve years old. The two sisters sat in the basement of Holby City Hospital and for the first time since they knew of each other's existence, they trusted one another.   
The next week, Jac would recommend to Serena that Jasmine didn't partake in a high risk surgery because she was unfit to be in theatre. Jasmine would at first be furious but later that day, when she fell asleep in the on-call room, she would text her sister and say thank you.  
They got along in their own little way; Jac was still Jac and Jasmine was still over eager and desperate to please but in the basement with the baby grand piano, none of that mattered and as Jac cried into Jasmine's shoulder beside the piano stool, for the first time, Jasmine thought that it might all be okay.


End file.
